Withdrawal Symptoms
by Cybelluk
Summary: Bruce and Dick get caught up in a bank heist
1. Chapter 1

**WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.**

"I just need to see the bank manager and sign a couple of papers then we can get back home and, well we can pursue those leads we got the other night." Bruce informed Dick as he slammed the door of the car shut. "Hopefully it won't take too long."

"Ok, I'm looking forward to getting out again. It seems like an age since you last let me." Dick said, trying to sound as if he wasn't complaining.

"I know, I know, I agree I've kept you caged up recently, but it's been for your own good. What with school and everything else I felt it was overstretching you." Bruce conceded.

Dick threw him a withering look, which Bruce ignored, smiling to himself as he strode away towards the bank, Dick following in his wake.

Brue strode purposely on attracting admiring glances from passers by, Dick still not used to the attention kept his head down as he followed, catching up with Bruce as they climbed the steps to the imposing edifice which was Gotham's largest bank.

"I reckon you get as much attention as Bruce as you do as Batman." Dick pointed out softly. "How do you handle it?"

"I would have thought you where used to it being the star turn in the circus." Bruce chuckled.

"Well no 'cos this is different from when I was in the circus. It's constant now." Dick told him as the concierge opened the huge doors to let them in, saluting as he did so.

"I suppose it can be tiresome at times, but you learn to ignore it and smile at those you have to deal with."

The bank was fairly busy, people queuing at the teller's booths and others milling about. Naturally several eyes swivelled in their direction and elbows nudged, as Bruce and Dick made their way over to a short queue at a reception desk. Anonymity was definitely not something to be enjoyed.

As they stood in the queue a small balding man bustled over.

"Mr Wayne, if you would like to come this way." He said loudly holding an arm out indicating. "There's no need for you to wait." He announced emphasising the 'you'.

Dick noticed that Bruce had coloured slightly. Although he was used to the privileged treatment there were still times when he was embarrassed by it.

The man led them across to a small cubicle and indicated that they should sit, apologising that they would have to wait a couple of moments for someone to deal with them.

"Not a problem." Bruce muttered as he sat and the man hurried away.

"Wealth may have its privileges but I don't really enjoy queue jumping." Bruce grumbled.

"Well at least we'll get out of here quicker." Dick grinned.

"I suppose you have a point there." Bruce agreed.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting Mr Wayne." Announced a rather tall stick thin, well spoken, impeccably dressed, grey haired man. "I have the documents here for you signature." He said as he slid in behind the desk, placing a slim folder in front of him, placing a fountain pen beside it.

Bruce slid his hand into his inside breast pocket and pointedly withdrew his own pen.

"I prefer to use my own." He stated as he opened the file.

The man pulled the pen back towards him; Dick noticed, with some amusement, a flicker of annoyance flit across his face.

"I've marked the places you need to sign."

"I just need to read it first, thank you."

"No problem, Mr Wayne, but I am sure you will find everything in order."

Bruce glanced up giving the man a withering look, as he fished a pair of spectacles from the other inside pocket.

Dick looked a little surprised, then realised it was all part of the 'disguise', as Bruce certainly did not need glasses.

Bruce deliberately took his time adjusting his glasses on his nose and positioning the papers for his signature.

His pen had barely touched the paper when a cacophony of sound erupted in the main body of the bank behind them.

"What!" Dick popped his head around the cubicle wall. Bruce put his hand on his arm to restrain him.

The cacophony turned to screams of alarm and fright as a gun shot rang out.

"Ok, quiet everybody and no one will get hurt! Just do as we say! Everyone hit the floor." someone shouted, as a loud thud and the sound of automatic locks echoed around the bank as the security shutters came down.

"Who did that? That was very stupid." The voice came again. "Don't move! Anyone!"

The banker began to rise from his seat, but Bruce waved a hand at him indicating he should remain where he was, he then held a finger to his lips.

From the other side of the screen came the frantic, but hushed voices of several men. It seemed that they had not been prepared for this eventuality.

"I said stay down!" The voice ordered again. Then another gun shot echoed followed by a sharp cry of pain and screams.

"See what happens when you don't do as I say. The next person who tries anything will be responsible for his death."

Bruce eyed the door behind the bank official and nodded first to Dick then the door. He mimed to the banker asking if the door was unlocked. The man nodded vigorously. Dick nodded and slithered to the floor, crawling under the desk to the door. He reached up tentatively and pulled on the handle opening the door slowly, just enough for him to crawl through. As the door closed behind him a furious buzzing alarm sounded.

Alerted, a masked armed man rounded the screen and barked at Bruce and the banker to join the other group of customers and bank staff.

"Come on, move it, let's have you with the others!" he barked waving his gun at Bruce and the banker. "Hands on your heads and no sudden moves."

Bruce and the baker stood slowly raising their hands to their heads and shuffled out from behind the screen.

Bruce surveyed the scene. A group of terrified customers and bank staff lay prone in one corner of the bank. Bruce estimated there were about fifteen not including himself and the banker. As he and the banker where pushed roughly to join the others he counted at least six masked men carrying a variety of arms, in the centre of the room several large black holdalls.

He was pushed hard and his knees buckled. He sank to the ground, the banker beside him.

"Ok, listen carefully, if you all do as I say then no one else will get hurt. I don't want any heroics; you saw what happens when someone tried it." The man addressing them appeared to be the leader of the gang. He was tall and obviously well built, not fat but muscle. A fact the tight fitting black roll neck sweater and tight black jeans betrayed. He wore a black ski mask, as did all the others. "All we want is to collect what we came for and get out of here. Now then who's in charge here?"

The prone group shuffled nervously.

"I haven't all day, who's in charge? Come on stand up!"

"I am." A man Bruce recognised as the deputy manager lifted his head. One of the masked men strode over and yanked him to his feet.

"Bring him here." The leader ordered.

The deputy manager was visibly petrified. His face was slick with sweat and the he was trembling noticeably.

"I need access to the vault, the safe deposit vault as well. Now someone has made it difficult for us by activating the alarm. "I need you to open the vaults."

"I,I,I,I,I, cant. Its on a timer, once the mechanism is activated it takes at least an, an, an hour before it can b,b,be reset." The poor man stuttered.

"It's not the answer I want to hear. I know that there are codes that can override it immediately. Now you can either co-operate or we can get the information by other means." The leader placed a hand none too gently on the deputies shoulder. "Seeing as we appear to be locked in here and I see the law has arrived to join the party." He nodded towards the front doors. "It's no skin off my nose either way. We have plenty of time. It would be easier if you just told me though, don't you think?"

The poor man whimpered as one of the others dragged a chair across and he was pushed down onto it. The 'boss' yanked the man's tie from around his neck and tossed it back to the other thug who dragged the deputies arms around the back of the chair and secured his wrists with the tie. Then unbuckling the man's belt he proceeded to secure his ankles.

"I'll give you a while to think about what you need to do. Ok let's get this mess sorted out."

"Boss there's a room back here, we could put all the hostages in there that way we can contain them better. There's only one door and no windows."

"Ok get everyone up and lined up."

Once everyone was on their feet, one of the thugs positioned himself at the door. The others were covering with their weapons.

"As you go in leave your bags on the floor where you are, and empty out your pockets." The 'boss' ordered.

5


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

Dick surveyed his surroundings. He was in a dark stairwell with steps leading both up and down. He quietly descended the steps, and tried the door at the bottom cautiously. It wouldn't yield. He retraced his steps and ascended the other stairs. The door at the top opened easily and led onto a darkened windowless corridor leading off to his right, the security lighting giving it an eerie glow.

At this point he wasn't quite sure what he was going to do. He had no idea how many of the bank robbers there where, so a rescue attempt could prove fruitless. Maybe he could escape the bank and, well?

He moved slowly down the corridor towards another door at the end. This door opened easily and he found himself in a room full of dusty boxes and files lit by the red glow of the emergency lighting. There were windows opposite the door which had been blacked out with what looked like paint.

Dick made his way over to the windows, brushing away cobwebs as he went. He took his keys from his pocket and carefully scratched away a small hole in the black paint expecting to see out into the street. Instead he got a view of the inside of the main banking floor. He was unable to see the entire floor and he didn't want to scrape any more paint from the window in case someone spotted him.

He turned to scan the room again; there was no other door other than the one he had come in by. It looked as if he was trapped. That was one of the problems with really old buildings like this bank; they were continually remodelled inside creating all kinds of dead ends and hidden spaces. He peered through the hole in the painted glass again and he notice that the room had been created when a balcony that ran around the main floor of the bank had been filled in. That meant that there must be other 'rooms', so why was there not another door?

Below him he could see the hostages being lined up. They were pushed and jostled quite roughly into line. He could see Bruce. He was keeping his head down, probably so as not to be recognised by the gang.

- "Ok move!" One of the ski mask wearing thugs ordered as the hostages where herded through a door into a room.

"Hold it!" the thug raised is gun to prevent Bruce moving forward. "What do we have here? Well would you believe it, I know you. Its Bruce Wayne…..Hey look who we have here guys, the one and only Bruce Wayne. Hey Boss!"

"How interesting. Well I never. Now I'm sure we can use you to our advantage, keep the police at bay till we can sort things out. Just put him in with the others for now."

"Right you are Boss." Bruce was pushed roughly through the door.

- Dick sighed; Bruce had been recognised, not good. He had to get out somehow.

"Ok, think." He said to himself, "there must be a way out."

Looking up he realised that the ceiling was a suspended one with dusty dingy tiles. He stacked a couple of boxes up against the wall so he could reach the ceiling. Climbing up he gingerly lifted one of the tiles. Reaching over the partition wall he lifted a tile on the other side. Although dark he could make out another room, and there was a door on the opposite wall.

"Bingo!"

Dick lifted himself up using the partition wall and slid over, dropping carefully down. Once in the room it seemed darker, Dick reached for his keys again; he had a small L.E.D. torch attached to it. The room was empty, just dust and a few scraps of paper littering the floor. He hurried over to the door and tried the handle. Thankfully it yielded and he was able to slip through into yet another room. Dick passed through other similar rooms until he entered one with two doors, one opposite the painted out windows.

"Bingo!" he said under his breath as he tried the door and it opened onto another corridor running around the back of all the balcony rooms.

- Bruce sidled quietly to a corner of the room he and the other hostages had been herded into. Around him the others where beginning to altercate agitatedly. One woman began to panic and was calmed by another.

A stout man dressed in suit and tie, whom Bruce thought he recognised as a small business man he had had some prior dealings with shouted for attention and quiet.

"Look we are in a difficult situation here, but we need to keep calm and try and work out a plan of attack so to speak. We don't know how long we are likely to be here and what those thugs are planning."

Bruce dropped his head and smiled to himself. He knew there would be one bombastic 'I'm a leader' type. Still he realised he would have to remain silent, looking for all the world like the stupid playboy billionaire character he had carefully crafted for himself. Still it did not mean he wouldn't do anything at all, he would just have to be very subtle about it.

He hoped that Dick had managed to find a way out, or was at least still free somewhere in the building.

"If we are held here for over, lets say a couple of hours," The bombastic business man continued, "then we need to have a list of things ready to ask for, such as toilet breaks and food and drink etc. Maybe even a chance to call our families etc."

"Ok, maybe not a bad idea." Bruce thought to himself, "But if the gang is serious then maybe it could have an adverse effect demanding too much."

Bruce let his gaze wander around the room. It looked like a conference room, a long table running down the middle flanked by chairs. Despite the thug's assertion that it was windowless, there were two rows of glass bricks set high into the outside wall. The door they had been herded through was the only exit. On his first appraisal it did look as if it was going to be difficult to escape the situation. He knew he would have to remain in character, as Bruce Wayne, but if he could find a way, it would be difficult not to give his other side away.

- Dick fished his mobile phone fro his pocket and hit the speed dial for Alfred.

"Alfred." Dick almost breathed the words, "Alfred we have a problem. We are at the bank and it's been raided by armed thugs. Bruce is being held hostage with several other people. I managed to slip away but I don't seem too be able to find a clear way out."

"I have been watching on the news, and the bank is surrounded by armed police and S.W.A.T. teams." Alfred told him. "How many are there? I can pass the info on to the police."

Dick was amazed at how calm Alfred sounded.

"There are half a dozen raiders that I can see and about a dozen hostages. I am still going to see if there is a way out. Mind you maybe I can run some interference."

"You be careful young man." Alfred warned, knowing full well that Dick could be reckless at times.

"I will. Alfred can you get the plans for the building and send them to my phone?"

"Ok, I will send them as soon as possible. Just be careful."

Dick broke the connection. He had decided that it would be better to try and thwart the robbers rather than try and flee the bank. How he would do it was going to be another thing.


End file.
